Bolesław Kontrym: Difference between revisions

Bolesław Kontrym
Bolesław Kontrym
	Bolesław Kontrym; nom de guerre Żmudzin et al
Born	27 August 1898; Zatruka, partitioned Poland
Died	20 January 1953 (aged 54); Warsaw, Poland
Other names	Żmudzin, Biały, Bielski, Cichocki
Known for	Cichociemni

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Lieutenant Bolesław Kontrym (Zatruka, Russian Empire, 27 August 1898 – 20 January 1953, Warsaw, Poland), also known by codenames Żmudzin, Biały, Bielski and Cichocki, was a Polish Army officer, a Home Army soldier, participant in the Warsaw Uprising and organizer of underground secret-police force Cichociemni.^[1]

Life[edit]

Kontrym was born 27 August 1898 in Zaturka, near Łuck in Wołyń. He began his military career by volunteering for the Imperial Russian Army in March 1915. Initially he served in the 106th Infantry Regiment, completing NCO training in Saratov. Between August and December 1915 he commanded a platoon of the 250th Infantry Regiment, and from June 1916 he served as adjutant of the 3rd Battalion of the 127th Infantry Regiment. In August 1917 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and was made commanding officer of a cavalry reconnaissance unit of the 660th Infantry Regiment.

Kontrym joined Polish Army units that were forming in Russia and from 1918 served in the 5th Cavalry Regiment of the II Polish Army Corps. In May 1918 the Corps was disarmed and interned by the Germans at Kaniow. Kontrym escaped from the German POW camp and attempted to join Polish Army units in Murmansk, Russia. In October 1918 he was arrested by the Bolshevik Cheka and conscripted into the Red Army. He fought against the Polish Army as commander of 82 Infantry Regiment and 28th Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division. For his abilities and gallantry, he was thrice awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In February 1921 he was transferred from his unit to study at the Frunze Military Academy. During that time, he contacted Polish Military attaché Colonel Romuald Wolikowski, to whom he passed Soviet military secrets. His espionage activities were discovered, and he had to flee to Poland.

During World War II, Kontrym served in the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade and was one of the Cichociemni. He also fought with distinction in the Warsaw Uprising. After the war, he was arrested by the Polish Security Service and executed for anti-Communist resistance probably on 2 or 20 January 1953.^[2]

Decorations[edit]

Poland[edit]

Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari (19 October 1944)
Cross of Valour (Krzyż Walecznych), three times
Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2 August 2009, posthumously)

Foreign[edit]

Croix de Guerre (1945, France)
1939–45 Star (United Kingdom)
France and Germany Star (24 July 1946, United Kingdom)
War Medal 1939–1945 (9 October 1946, United Kingdom)
Order of Red Banner – three times (Soviet Union)

References[edit]

^ Lerski, Jerzy Jan (1988). Poland's Secret Envoy, 1939-1945. Bicentennial Publishing Corporation. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-912757-21-6.
^ "Powstańcze Biogramy - Bolesław Kontrym". www.1944.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 31 December 2022.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
-{{Infobox_Biography |
+{{Infobox person
-  subject_name   = Bolesław Kontrym |
+|name          =Bolesław Kontrym
-  image_name     = Boleslaw Kontrym.jpg |
+|image         =Boleslaw kontrym.jpg
-  image_caption  = ps. "'''Żmudzin'''" |
+|alt           =Bolesław Kontrym
-  date_of_birth  = [[August 27]], [[1898]] |
+|caption       =Bolesław Kontrym<br>''[[nom de guerre]]'' Żmudzin et al
-  dead=dead |
+|birth_name    = <!-- only use if different from name -->
-  place_of_birth = Zatruka [[Partitions of Poland|partitioned]] [[Poland]] |
+|birth_date    ={{Birth date|1898|08|27|df=y}}
-  date_of_death  = [[January 2|2]] or [[January 20]], [[1953]]|
-  place_of_death = [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]] |
+|birth_place   =Zatruka, [[partitioned Poland]]
+|death_date    ={{Death date and age|1953|01|20|1898|08|27|df=y}}
+|death_place   =[[Warsaw]], Poland
+|nationality   =
+|other_names   =''Żmudzin'', ''Biały'', ''Bielski'', ''Cichocki''
+|occupation    =
+|years_active  =
+|known_for     =''[[Silent Unseen|Cichociemni]]''
+|notable_works =
 }}
+[[Lieutenant]] '''Bolesław Kontrym''' (Zatruka, [[Russian Empire]], 27 August 1898 – 20 January 1953, [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]]), also known by [[codename]]s ''Żmudzin'', ''Biały'', ''Bielski'' and ''Cichocki'', was a [[Polish Army]] officer, a [[Home Army]] soldier, participant in the [[Warsaw Uprising]] and organizer of underground secret-police force [[Cichociemni]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lerski |first=Jerzy Jan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FzBnAAAAMAAJ |title=Poland's Secret Envoy, 1939-1945 |date=1988 |publisher=Bicentennial Publishing Corporation |isbn=978-0-912757-21-6 |pages=56 |language=en}}</ref>
+== Life ==
-'''Bolesław Kontrym''' codename: Żmudzin, Biały, Bielski, Cichocki (b. [[August 27]], [[1898]] in Zaturka near [[Łuck]] ([[Wołyń]]) - [[January 2]] or [[January 20|20]], [[1953]] in [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]]) was a [[Poland|Polish]] army officer (major), [[Cichociemni|cichociemny]], soldier of the [[Armia Krajowa]]. Organizer of the secret police force, took part in the [[Warsaw Uprising]]. After the war arrested by [[Służba Bezpieczeństwa]] and executed in January 1953.
+Kontrym was born 27 August 1898 in Zaturka, near [[Łuck]] in [[Wołyń]]. He began his military career by volunteering for the [[Imperial Russian Army]] in March 1915. Initially he served in the 106th Infantry Regiment, completing [[Non-commissioned officer|NCO]] training in [[Saratov]]. Between August and December 1915 he commanded a [[platoon]] of the 250th Infantry Regiment, and from June 1916 he served as [[adjutant]] of the 3rd Battalion of the 127th Infantry Regiment. In August 1917 he was promoted to the rank of [[lieutenant]] and was made commanding officer of a [[cavalry]] reconnaissance unit of the 660th Infantry Regiment.
+Kontrym joined [[Polish Army]] units that were forming in Russia and from 1918 served in the [[5th Cavalry Regiment (Poland)|5th Cavalry Regiment]] of the II Polish Army Corps. In May 1918 the Corps was disarmed and interned by the Germans at [[Kaniv|Kaniow]]. Kontrym escaped from the German [[POW]] camp and attempted to join Polish Army units in [[Murmansk]], Russia.
-{{Poland-bio-stub}}
+In October 1918 he was arrested by the [[Bolshevik]] [[Cheka]] and conscripted into the [[Red Army]]. He fought against the Polish Army as commander of [[82 Infantry Regiment]] and [[28th Brigade (Soviet Union)|28th Brigade]] of the [[10th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)|10th Infantry Division]]. For his abilities and gallantry, he was thrice awarded the [[Order of the Red Banner]]. In February 1921 he was transferred from his unit to study at the [[Frunze Military Academy]]. During that time, he contacted Polish [[Military attaché]] Colonel [[Romuald Wolikowski]], to whom he passed [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] military secrets. His espionage activities were discovered, and he had to flee to Poland.
+{{Polish Underground State sidebar}}
+During [[World War II]], Kontrym served in the [[Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade]] and was one of the [[Cichociemni]]. He also fought with distinction in the [[Warsaw Uprising]]. After the war, he was arrested by the Polish [[Ministry of Public Security (Poland)|Security Service]] and executed for [[Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–1946)|anti-Communist resistance]] probably on 2 or 20 January 1953.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Powstańcze Biogramy - Bolesław Kontrym |url=https://www.1944.pl/powstancze-biogramy/boleslaw-kontrym,825.html |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=www.1944.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
-===Awards===
-* [[Virtuti Militari]], V class
+== Decorations ==
-* [[Krzyż Walecznych]], three times
+=== Poland ===
-[[Category:1898 births|Kontrym, Bolesław]]
+* Silver Cross of the [[Virtuti Militari]] (19 October 1944)
-[[Category:1953 deaths|Kontrym, Bolesław]]
+* [[Cross of Valour (Poland)|Cross of Valour]] (''Krzyż Walecznych''), three times
-[[Category:Polish Army officers|Kontrym, Bolesław]]
+* Commander's Cross of the [[Order of Polonia Restituta]] (2 August 2009, [[posthumous award|posthumously]])
-[[Category:Polish resistance fighters|Kontrym, Bolesław]]
-[[Category:Recipients of Virtuti Militari|Kontrym, Bolesław]]
+=== Foreign ===
+* [[Croix de Guerre]] (1945, France)
+* [[1939–45 Star]] (United Kingdom)
+* [[France and Germany Star]] (24 July 1946, United Kingdom)
+* [[War Medal 1939–1945]] (9 October 1946, United Kingdom)
+* [[Order of Red Banner]] – three times (Soviet Union)
+== See also ==
+*[[List of Poles#Intelligence|List of Poles]]
+== References ==
+{{reflist}}
+==Further reading==
+*J. Marszalec, ''Sily bezpieczenstwa w Powstaniu Warszawskim'', 2000 Warsaw.
+*Elżbieta Cherezińska, “Legion”, 2013
+{{Authority control}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Kontrym, Boleslaw}}
+[[Category:1898 births]]
+[[Category:1953 deaths]]
+[[Category:Home Army officers]]
+[[Category:Cichociemni]]
+[[Category:Executed military personnel]]
+[[Category:Executed Polish people]]
+[[Category:Polish people of the Polish–Soviet War]]
+[[Category:People executed by the Polish People's Republic by firearm]]
+[[Category:Polish Army officers]]
+[[Category:Polish military personnel in the Imperial Russian Army of World War I]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland)]]
+[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)]]
+[[Category:Polish murder victims]]
+[[Category:People from Volyn Oblast]]
+[[Category:People from Volhynian Governorate]]
+[[Category:People who emigrated to escape Bolshevism]]
+[[Category:People from the Russian Empire of Polish descent]]
+[[Category:Soviet people of Polish descent]]
+[[Category:Polish spies]]

Authority control databases
International	FAST ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	Germany United States Poland